Trying to convince unionists of the benefits of a United Ireland is “insulting”

Posted By: September 11, 2017

IRISH CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING

Distributed by Irish National Caucus

“Mervyn Gibson — who some see as the poster boy for Orange/Protestant division and supremacy— is a former Special Branch man in the old, discredited RUC.

White supremacy in the USA or Orange supremacy in Northern Ireland are both to be equally condemned. Both preach division, disunity and discrimination by definition.

Unity was good for the United States (despite the Confederates) and for Germany, how can it be bad for Ireland?

The Good Friday Agreement does not regard unity as “insulting,” as Gibson does in the article below.

Pending the re-unification of Ireland, the solution in Northern Ireland is to build up the Beloved Community, as advocated by Blessed Martin Luther King, Jr.”—Fr. Sean McManus

Pacemaker Belfast 01/07/2014.East Belfast Mini Twelfth .Orange Order

chaplain Mervyn Gibson pictured at The Somme Commemoration Parade

also known as The East Belfast Mini Twelfth parade taking place on the

Albertbridge Road with a total of 37 bands took part in the parade,

organized by the Ballymacarrett District lodge No 6.

Picture By: Aidan O’Reilly Pacemaker Press.

Allison Morris. Irish News. Belfast. September 11, 2017

One of Northern Ireland’s most senior Orangeman has described the current push to persuade unionists of the benefits of Irish unity post Brexit as “insulting.”

Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, Rev Mervyn Gibson said he “finds it insulting when people even try and convince me of a unionist place in a united Ireland.”

“I’m British, I was born British, I will die British and I want no part of a United Ireland, I can’t be bought, I can’t be bribed,” he said.

“I’ve signed a few Irish passport forms but I wouldn’t apply for one on principle because I’m British.

“To assume I would want to change or could be convinced is like saying you could convince people in the south to re-join the Commonwealth, they would be aghast, they would be offended and that’s how I feel when people try to persuade me to be part of a United Ireland.

“So, no, I don’t want to be part of a United Ireland, I don’t care if I’m financially worse off, I’m not for sale,” he said.

Rev. Gibson added that despite the late Martin McGuinness’ IRA past the Orange Order found it easier to deal with the former Deputy First Minister, saying Gerry Adams leading the party without his influence “should make the country nervous”.

“For me I think Adams is very unpredictable, with McGuinness, previously there was a predictability, I think you could deal with McGuinness easier than you could with Adams.

“There were certainties there but that all went with the Robinson and McGuinness era.

“What we have now should make us all nervous, not just Unionists, I think it should make the country nervous,” he said.

Rev. Gibson, who voted in favor of Brexit, says he thinks Sinn Féin sees Britain leaving the EU as “useful tool in their propaganda machine.”

“I was in favor of Brexit and returning sovereignty to the UK in general, I was fed up with EU telling us what to do.

“Regarding the Border, as long as there is a border and it stays where it is I don’t care if it is hard, soft or whatever.

“Preferably it’ll be a soft border, but that will be in the hands of Europe, it won’t be in the hands of the UK.

“You can see how Sinn Féin thinks it is useful for their propaganda machine, but it won’t be the Holy Grail they think it is, it won’t be a ticket to a United Ireland”, he said.

And Rev. Gibson said despite DUP leader Arlene Foster’s crocodile comments regarding the Irish language being credited with mobilizing the nationalist electorate, he believes it was “a great analogy and worked extremely well”.

“It was just part of the cut and thrust of politics, it wasn’t a major thing.

“If it is for enthusiasts then I’ve no issue with the Irish language and that’s why it’s good that the debate has moved on to asking Sinn Féin to spell out what they actually want.

“If it’s being used as a stepping stone to a United Ireland or for political purposes, then, of course, we will object,” he added.

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